bruacioly's reviews
1157 reviews

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was such a cozy and sweet book to read (even with the murders).

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Beautiful and moving and captivating. I loved the experimentative writing and the commentary on cultural elements interspaced with the telling of the author's own personal story, which made the book intriguing for the craft itself and not for the trauma.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It was cute.
I like the anxiety rep, which was something I really related to.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was very fun!

Honestly the plot is a bit convenient, but I enjoyed the writing and the characters and can't wait for the sequel.

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

adventurous challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is slow, but rewarding. 

It truly tells a story of a journey from nothingness to greatness.

There was so much in this - discussions of gender - and the complexities of defining it; discussions of morality and ambition and the corruption of power. 

This book won't be for everyone:
The plot moves slowly, the characters are unlikeable, the story is sad; but the characters are complex and the writing is beautiful (though not in a overly lyrical way) and the journey is fascinating.

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Reading this series is like coming home. Seanan McGuire's writing style always makes me feel so comforted and understood and safe. 

Each book just makes me fall more and more in love with the characters and the world(s).

In this book we get more into an overall story arch for the whole series, which I found really interesting and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. But honestly this series could be just these characters talking in class and I would read every book - which is to say the plot is very much secondary and that is something really comforting to me.

I hope this series never ends.

Read it if you have ever dreamed of finding a portal into your own magical land.

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Poirot Investigates: A Hercule Poirot Collection by Agatha Christie

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I prefer Christie's longer form work and murder mysteries (the short stories tend to include a lot of robbery cases which is kind of... meh), but I do enjoy the dynamic of Poirot and Hastings on the stories.